Need some ideas for protecting exposed prop shaft

[5akman]

I'm looking at a twin screw boat and am concerned about the lack of traditional "keel" protection of shaft/prop/rudder. Does anyone have any ideas or pictures for some type of glass or alum structure that might work here? Powderpro in an email to me had mentioned some alum angle or channel extrusion extending next to the length of the shaft and somehow tied into the strut. I like the idea and now am looking for some pics of something similar.

 

[chortle]

Some ideas to get you started, the last two were from the Buck Algonquin catalog.

 

[5akman]

The exposed strut on the boat I'm looking at does have the entension below where the prop shaft passes through like the ones shown in the picture. I'll have to figure out how to incorporate some bracing tying in there and extending forward to protect the shaft. Keep the pics and ideas coming!

 

[Scotth]

What kind of hull?

 

[steveinak]

In all due respect, just find a boat thats rigged right, stop looking for fixer uppers, spend the money for a well rigged tool. I thought there were a lot of dumb rigged boats back east when i fished back there till i started seeing some of the god awful stuff guys did here !! A well rigged boat and more important a fishey net are going to make you money and catch you the primo fish you need for your fish sales business. Please don't take this wrong i'm all for seeing a diamond in the ruff and getting it nice and shiney but then i don't go around kicking horseshit trying to get the last seed out of it.:lol:

 

[5akman]

No offense taken. Its a nice hull, twin cummins, recent conversion from charter to a gillnetter. I'm taking my direct marketing to the next level with DEC inspection, head/gut/RSW and roe recovery. At 45'x14', its got everything i need in terms of space. I like everything about the boat but just worry about the exposed shafting/prop as I go in and out the mouth of the Kenai. Figured this was the forum to inquire with........ And, at 125K, I don't consider it a fixer!

 

[chortle]

No offense taken. Its a nice hull, twin cummins, recent conversion from charter to a gillnetter. I'm taking my direct marketing to the next level with DEC inspection, head/gut/RSW and roe recovery. At 45'x14', its got everything i need in terms of space. I like everything about the boat but just worry about the exposed shafting/prop as I go in and out the mouth of the Kenai. Figured this was the forum to inquire with........ And, at 125K, I don't consider it a fixer!

Then something hefty is what you need

 

[levidossak]

Is it the Point Adams? Does it have a fish hold?

 

[5akman]

Yes on the boat id. Next to nothing in terms of the hold and what little there is, is under the reel so you can put fish in but not get them back out via a brailer bag, they'd have to be hand pitched. It has some major issues in this way with the location of the two engines, 3 fuel tanks etc. It would be a project but with the move to the onboard processing and DEC requirements, its the best I can come up with.

Levi, what do you know of the boat?

 

[5akman]

that's more what I was thinking about!

Then something hefty is what you need

 

[BillD]

Plenty of options out there for you Lance.
I bet Tony Athens has more examples to show you than just what he posted up on boatdiesel forum.
The QSL9s, you won't find better motors.

 

[steveinak]

No offense taken. Its a nice hull, twin cummins, recent conversion from charter to a gillnetter. I'm taking my direct marketing to the next level with DEC inspection, head/gut/RSW and roe recovery. At 45'x14', its got everything i need in terms of space. I like everything about the boat but just worry about the exposed shafting/prop as I go in and out the mouth of the Kenai. Figured this was the forum to inquire with........ And, at 125K, I don't consider it a fixer!

Good luck dealing with the arseholes at the DEC. You better like paperwork & dealing with some of the worlds most stupidest rules. I went all through it with them just to be able to take shrimp off my boat put it in my truck and drive it to my customers(fish market). The shit really hit the fans when i asked about being able to sell to the public !! I hope you have deep pockets for all the fees and the stomach to deal with state employees.

 

[5akman]

Head and gut, DEC. Gut and gill, no DEC. I'm looking at the hassle of DEC vs the every increasing cost of custom processing. I believe I'm working with the only processor in the inlet that charges based on outgoing weight as opposed to incoming weight. If he, like the others, chooses to charge incoming weight, then I have to H&G to keep the processing cost reasonable. Its all a zoo......!

 

[Powderpro]

Lance- here's a quick sketch of what I was talking about. The black lines are the existing boat, the red lines would be the new running gear protection. I would personally do it out of aluminum. The material the runs parallel with the shaft would probably be like 2" or 2.5" angle and the V would be like 3" bar. I would probably use 1/2" thick material so it's strong. You just need something that will protect that prop and rudder if you decide to hit the sandbar. Doesn't need to be elaborate. The boat you are considering has potential; it has great engines and the hull is the size you want, but as you are aware, it needs some fairly extensive work to turn it into a money maker.

 

[5akman]

Brian,
Tony A posted some similiar pics over on boatdiesel.com where I have a thread going on the QSL. I'm going to get some measurements next month when I'm up there. An alum welder there in Kenai owes me 5 hrs of labor so I may have him do the fab for me between my April trip and heading back up in June. Provided of course, that my boat sells as planned.

 

[5akman]

Powderpro, forgot to ask in last reply. Is there any advantage to incorporating a lower rudder support into the framework? I could use the current rudders this season and then build new ones next year that had the lower pivot point to interface with the new structure.

 

[Powderpro]

Powderpro, forgot to ask in last reply. Is there any advantage to incorporating a lower rudder support into the framework? I could use the current rudders this season and then build new ones next year that had the lower pivot point to interface with the new structure.

That's a good question... because the props sit lower than the rudders, I don't see a need for a lower rudder support, unless you want to fab up new rudders. I would only fab up new rudders if the existing ones needed replaced because of age or did not provide enough steering. The new rudders would be larger and probably provide better low speed maneuverability, but new stainless steels rudders aren't real cheap. I looked at some of the pictures posted on your thread over at boatdiesel. Those pictures prove there are other ways to help protect your props if you don't have a keel.